Social Worker - UAE National

Description

Social Worker Role Profile

Purpose of Role

The Social Worker plays a vital role in supporting the social, emotional, and mental wellbeing of students. They provide intervention strategies, counselling support, and act as a bridge between students, families, and the school community. Their primary focus is to ensure students feel safe, supported, and empowered to achieve their full potential. The role also involves identifying students at risk, advocating for their needs, and promoting a positive school culture that fosters resilience and inclusivity.

About the School:

Aspen Heights British School (AHBS) is a truly inclusive school based on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi. We are proud of our inclusive ethos and our commitment to ensuring all children are provided with personalised learning experiences and the proper support to ensure they can make progress in learning in all areas.

ISP Principles

Begin with our children and students. Our children and students are at the heart of what we do. Simply, their success is our success. Wellbeing and safety are both essential for learners and learning. Therefore, we are consistent in identifying potential safeguarding and Health & Safety issues and acting and following up on all concerns appropriately.

Treat everyone with care and respect. We look after one another, embrace similarities and differences and promote the well-being of self and others.

Operate effectively. We focus relentlessly on the things that are most important and will make the most difference. We apply school policies and procedures and embody the shared ideas of our community.

Are financially responsible. We make financial choices carefully based on the needs of the children, students and our schools.

Learn continuously. Getting better is what drives us. We positively engage with personal and professional development and school improvement.

Social Worker Key Responsibilities

Student Wellbeing and Support

• Provide social and emotional support to students facing challenges, ensuring they are referred to qualified school counsellors or external services for counselling when necessary.
• Offer early intervention strategies to support students at risk of disengagement or facing adverse personal circumstances, ensuring they are referred to qualified counsellors when needed.
• Identify and address barriers to learning, ensuring students receive appropriate social and emotional support.
• Assist students in accessing appropriate resources to support their social and emotional development, ensuring they receive guidance from qualified professionals where necessary.
• Maintain confidentiality protocols in line with school and regulatory guidelines while prioritising student safety and wellbeing.

Collaboration with Staff and Families

• Work closely with teachers, the Inclusion Team, and school leadership to develop holistic student support strategies.
• Provide guidance and resources to staff on managing student social and emotional needs in the classroom.
• Engage families and caregivers to strengthen home-school collaboration and provide necessary support.
• Serve as a key member of the Safeguarding and Child Protection Team, ensuring timely intervention in cases of concern.
• Assist in the development of student support plans, including behaviour intervention strategies and wellbeing initiatives.
• Communicates with parents on a regular, informal basis and to deal with day to day queries
• Attends Parents’ Evenings as required and to provide accurate, honest information regarding the progress of individuals at these meetings
• Reports to the parents in the form of written reports twice yearly or when required by the SLT

Referral and External Coordination

• Establish and maintain referral pathways for students requiring external mental health or social services.
• Liaise with external professionals, such as therapists, social service agencies, and healthcare providers, to ensure students receive comprehensive support.
• Monitor and track student progress, adjusting interventions as needed in collaboration with stakeholders.

School-Wide Wellbeing Initiatives

• Lead school-wide wellbeing programs that promote resilience, emotional intelligence, and social responsibility.
• Support the development of a safe and inclusive school culture, ensuring all students feel valued and supported.
• Provide training for staff on mental health awareness, safeguarding, and social-emotional learning strategies.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of policies related to student wellbeing and social care.

Policy and Compliance

• Ensure all safeguarding and social support policies are effectively implemented within the school.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date case notes and reports, ensuring compliance with data protection and confidentiality regulations.
• Contribute to the school’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Committee, advocating for student support strategies.

Fulfil wider professional responsibilities

• Make a positive contribution to the wider life and ethos of the school, including fulfilling extra-curricular activity expectations and other ‘out of hours’ requirements
• Develop effective professional relationships with colleagues, knowing how and when to draw on advice and specialist support
• Deploy support staff effectively
• Take responsibility for improving teaching through appropriate professional development, responding to advice and feedback from colleagues
• Contribute fully to the extra-curricular program within the department and assist in the organization and running of curriculum days.
• Communicate effectively with parents with regard to students’ achievements and well-being

General

• To complete all other tasks that can be reasonably expected of a social worker
• To be fully aware of Health and Safety across the school

Health and Safety

• Emphasizes the importance of safety in all areas of the curriculum, communicating to the students the importance of a responsible attitude towards personal safety, the safety of others and respect for Aspen Heights British School’s property and equipment
• Perform all playground duties on time and with due diligence to safeguard Aspen students
• Take all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect students, equipment, materials, and facilities
• Ensure that, all the necessary health and safety rules and procedures are being followed
• Maintain an awareness of all the health and safety measures to be taken when in school
• Promote safe and ethical practices when working with students and families.
• Ensure students understand the importance of responsible behaviour and emotional regulation.
• Actively monitor student wellbeing and escalate safeguarding concerns in line with school procedures.

Staff Development, ECA & Cover

• Attends and participates fully, in Staff Development, staff meetings and briefings as set
• Provides cover for absent colleagues as and when necessary
• Contributes to the extra-curricular activity program to enrich the school experience for the students as reasonably directed by the SLT and ECA Coordinator

Personal and Professional Conduct

All staff are expected to demonstrate consistently high standards of personal and professional conduct. Staff must maintain high standards of ethics and behavior, within and outside school, by:

• Treating students with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times observing proper boundaries appropriate to a teacher’s professional position
• Having regard for the need to safeguard students’ well-being
• Showing tolerance of and respect for the rights of others
• Not undermining fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
• Ensuring that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways which exploit students’ vulnerability or might lead them to break the law
• Staff must have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school in which they teach, and maintain high standards in their own attendance and punctuality
• Staff must have an understanding of, and always act within, the cultural expectations of UAE and the policies and expectations of the school which set out their professional duties and responsibilities.

Whilst every effort has been made to explain the main duties and responsibilities of the post, each individual task undertaken may not be identified.

Employees will be expected to comply with any reasonable request from a manager to undertake work of a similar level that is not specified in this job description.

Employees are expected to be courteous to colleagues and provide a welcoming environment to visitors and telephone callers.

Skills, Qualifications and Experience

Minimum Educational Qualifications Required for the Role

• UAE Nationals: Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, Psychology, Counselling, or a related field (preferred).
• Non-UAE Nationals: Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Social Work, Psychology, Counselling, or a related field.

Minimum Years of Experience Required

• UAE Nationals: Some experience in social work or related fields is preferred but not required.
• Non-UAE Nationals: Minimum 3 years of experience working as a social worker in a school or child-focused setting.

Licensing

• Must obtain relevant professional accreditation or licensure as required by local regulations.
• UAE Nationals must obtain the required licensure within the first two years of employment.

Knowledge

• Understanding of child and adolescent development.
• Awareness of social and emotional learning frameworks and their application in school settings.
• Knowledge of safeguarding procedures and best practices.
• Up-to-date knowledge of local and international policies on student welfare and social care.

Skills

• Excellent communication and case management abilities.
• Ability to build positive relationships with students, staff, and families.
• Strong case management and record-keeping skills.
• High level of IT competency for documentation and communication.
• Ability to problem-solve and implement interventions effectively.

Personal Attributes

• Empathy and active listening skills.
• Cultural awareness and sensitivity to diverse student backgrounds.
• Collaboration and teamwork with staff, students, and parents.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive issues professionally.
• Strong organisational skills to manage multiple cases and wellbeing programs.
• Passionate about supporting student wellbeing and social inclusion.
• Able to command respect of students, colleagues, and parents.
• Organised with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
• Reliable with attention to detail and a commitment to quality.
• Critical thinker with strong problem-solving abilities.
• Commitment to safeguarding and the welfare of children.

ISP Commitment to Safeguarding Principles

ISP is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

All post holders are subject to appropriate vetting procedures, including an online due diligence search, references and satisfactory Criminal Background Checks or equivalent covering the previous 10 years’ employment history.

ISP Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

ISP is committed to strengthening our inclusive culture by identifying, hiring, developing, and retaining high-performing teammates regardless of gender, age, disability status, neurodivergence, socio-economic background or other demographic characteristics. Candidates who share our vision and principles and are interested in contributing to the success of ISP through this role are strongly encouraged to apply.